She Comes And Goes As She Pleases (Part 22)
by BrDPirateMan
Eri and I got ourselves in a spat that I started and now she's missing. Her lack of familiarity with this neighbourhood worried me. What if she got lost? No, it's more like… she would get lost. She didn't take her cell phone with her either, leaving me with no real way to track her down, making my fears doubly real.
I strained myself thinking of all the various places a girl might go to clear her head in the aftermath of an argument, but no good ideas turned up. Even if they did, I wouldn't know where to look. The entire place was alien to me. My only option was to just run off into the night madly looking for her, hoping that I would come across her somehow. Yes, it wasn't very smart, but it was the only choice I had.
Certainly befitting for an idiot like me… This was my punishment, I guess…
The least I could do was take it like a man. Eri, I'll definitely come for you. And I'll admit that I was stupid, and apologise. So please… please stay safe and wait for me. I wouldn't disappoint you ever again!
"Young man, is something the matter?"
As I paced about in the lobby, hesitating and contemplating my course of action, I must have caught the attention of the innkeeper. She was an elderly lady, dressed in a formal robe. Wrinkles adorned her face and she had a kind smile. I was in too much a hurry to talk but I didn't wish to brush her off now that she had showed her concern. Besides, maybe she might be able to suggest a better way for me to carry out my rescue plan. So I spared a little time for her, keeping my explanation brief.
"I got into a fight with my friend," I said dolefully. "And now I can't find her. I want to tell her I'm sorry."
The innkeeper was tactful enough to not ask for further details. "Ah, I remember you. You came in this afternoon together with your girlfriend. And you had a quarrel with her, I see. That's a shame… But you're on the right track that you want to apologise."
There was one word in what she said that stood out in particular and it made me blush a little. "Sh-She's not my girlfriend, although… I do care a lot about her."
"Now, now, it's alright, young man." Her motherly friendliness put me at ease. "Don't be shy. I was your age once, too, and I know love when I see it."
I could have started blurting out in denial but she was so sincere the truth just rolled off my tongue.
"I… I need her. But ma'am, she went out by herself and there's no way for me to contact her."
"Do you know the area around here?"
"No, I'm afraid not."
"And you intend to look for your friend in unfamiliar territory? I admire your courage, but it's not safe. Here, take this brochure. There's a street map inside. It wouldn't help you find her, but if you do, you can use it to find your way back here."
"Oh, um, thanks! That's a big help." I graciously took the brochure from her and immediately felt a surge of confidence flow through me. As long as I had this, my chances of making it out of this suburban jungle alive together with Eri were pretty good. I hoped.
"Young man, do not fret so much," she said. "She may be angry, but it doesn't mean she hates you completely. If you truly care for her, she'll know. And I'm quite certain she feels the same way about you."
"I hope so…" Eri… Even if you hate me now, do you still like me? Am I still your best friend?
The old innkeeper's eyes lit up for a moment, like she recalled something. "Oh! I almost forgot. My memory's not how it used to be, but I seem to remember a girl run out the entranceway not too long ago. She was sobbing and had pink hair. Might that be who you're looking for?"
Sobbing? Pink hair? There was no one else that could be but her! Eri! With that realization I was raring again to speed off to look for her.
"I think that's her," I said. "I've got to go!"
Before I could take another step, the innkeeper stopped me. "You're still going along with your daredevil act? I wouldn't stop you, but just know that it'll be dangerous."
"But I can't just sit here doing nothing…"
"I thought you might say that, young man. Very well… Just take care. I'll be praying for your safety."
"Thanks, ma'am!" My feet were impatient and soon I was scrambling for the entranceway. I shouted back over my shoulder to the innkeeper, "Don't worry, I'll be back soon!"
And so I charged into the night with the map in hand. Anyone would tell me that running around the neighbourhood blindly wasn't going to do me much good, and that I was better off waiting it out, or calling the police… and that I was foolish. But I felt that I had to do something… anything… even if it was ultimately a waste of time. At least my heart would feel just that little bit better knowing that I didn't do nothing.
It wasn't going to be an open road, though…
XOXOXOXOXO
Time flies when you're having fun, or even when, as the case may be, you're not.
It felt like hours since I left the inn. There was no street I didn't scour, no person I didn't ask, no dark corner I didn't venture into knowing fully well that it may be infested with punks looking for someone to pound. Unfortunately, though, my search for Eri turned up nothing. She refused to be found.
The truth was far from pleasant, but the reality of things was that staying out any longer wouldn't do me any good. I cursed myself for my foolishness. I failed her and I failed myself. Some "favourite guy" I made, huh? In the end, I couldn't even protect the one I loved the most. My soul was crushed down to the size of a pinhead.
The full moon was out and I just wanted to howl at it in frustration.
"I'm sorry, Eri. I'm so sorry… Please forgive me…"
I trudged back to the inn, my heart sinking with each step. It would be nice if she was there all along, waiting for my return. And then I could apologise to her and maybe she could get back to teasing me like she always loved to. But it'd be terribly convenient, wouldn't it? Life didn't work that way. If you dropped a piece of toast on the floor it would land on the buttered side. Always.
Eri wasn't there, just as I expected. Back in the lobby, the only two people were myself and the innkeeper, who cast a look of pity at me.
"You didn't find your friend, young man?"
"No…" I hung my head in shame. "Um, thanks for the map, by the way."
"Don't worry about it. I'm sorry about her though. For you to go searching for her like that, she must be very important to you."
"She's more than just important to me," I began. "She's special."
"Special?" Creases gathered around the innkeeper's mouth as she smiled. "My, that's quite a claim you made. I'm sure she'll be happy to hear that."
"I hope so…" I clutched at my arm, overwhelmed with regret. "She's a bit of an airhead and always makes fun of me, but at the same time, she also cares about me and sticks by my side during hard times. There are so many things I want to tell her, like how thankful I am to have her as a friend, and… well… how much I like her.
"But all I did was get mad at her for no good reason. I'm sure she hates me now… I mean, why would she up and disappear? It's all my fault. I vowed I'd make her happy, but I blew her off… I'm the worst! What do I do with myself now?"
The whole time I was pouring out my woes, the innkeeper did not interrupt me or ask me questions. She just listened. Something that Shiki once said to me came to mind: that sometimes, all people need is a listening ear for their problems to seem less difficult. Right now I was in dire need of one, and the innkeeper fit the bill. Even in the worst possible scenario – like now – having someone to hear you out is enough to keep your sanity where it belongs. She was such a kind old lady.
The sigh I heaved was a defeated one. "Guess I should call the police now… Maybe they can lend a hand."
Despite the severity of the situation, the innkeeper remained calm – big-rock-in-a-lake calm – like she knew everything was going to work out in the end.
"Let's not be too hasty. One moment, lad." Then she got up from her chair, walked to the door behind her that presumably led to the office, and rapped on it with her knuckles, gentle as ever.
"Dearie," she called through the door, "I think you can come out now."
What?
Two or three seconds and there was nothing. Just when I thought the innkeeper was spacing out, the doorknob twisted reluctantly and the door swung ajar.
A familiar figure stood meekly in the gap, peeping through at me.
"Eri!" I almost shouted in surprise. She was safe! Her eyes were puffy from crying and her face was a mess but at least she was okay. Thank goodness… There was one thing I didn't quite get, though. "Hang on, you were hiding here this entire time?"
Her eyes were downcast and she was too sheepish to answer. Eri was a merry soul, and there was hardly a day when she was sad. The guilt pounded my heart into mincemeat as I gazed upon her silently sniffling form. This was not the Eri I knew. The innkeeper kindly answered for her.
"I'm sorry, young man. The truth is that your friend here came to me and asked for a place where she could rest. She vehemently insisted that she needed to be alone for a while and that she couldn't see you yet. I felt bad for her, so I let her stay in my office. But I think the time has come for the two of you to make up."
So that's what it was like… The innkeeper purposely kept me away to give Eri time to recover. All this while, when I was dashing around the streets, it was nothing more than a fool's errand. I couldn't really blame either of them, though.
"Now hurry along, you two," said our elderly friend, coaxing Eri to rejoin me by my side. "You should head back to your room. And get some rest after you're done. Both of you have been through a lot."
Back in the privacy of our room, Eri and I sat kneeling and face-to-face. There was an awkward silence building up between us and I was waiting for her to speak. Because she had the same idea, though, there was too long a stretch of time in which nothing was spoken.
Finally I decided to act first. I bowed my head deeply. What I was going to say were some of the most difficult words a person could ever say, but it had to be done if I wanted to patch things up with her.
"I'm sorry, Eri. I'm very sorry!"
I didn't hear any reply of any sort from her. Was she angry? …Of course she would be. Of course I would get the cold shoulder even when I apologised. But I sought to explain myself further.
"I was wrong to be so brusque with you like I did," I continued. "I got jealous when you were talking with Futoshi and also when you seemed interested in joining the mixer that your friend mentioned. It's just… I didn't like the idea of someone snatching you away, but it's still no reason for me to get all mean and catty."
Wh-What the heck was this? It sounded more like a bad confession than a proper apology. I mean, I ploughed headlong through it, but…
"Anyway! I'm very sorry! Eri, I know it's not possible right away, but please – even if it takes time – please forgive me!" And with that, I bowed even deeper, until my forehead was touching the floor.
She started getting frantic. "Whoa! Um, d-don't bow like that! I get that you're being sincere and all, but it's still embarrassing! And, well, see… Neku…"
"Huh?"
"I'm sorry too."
I raised my head to look up at her. "Wh-Why?"
"While I was in the office, I did a little thinking. And I came to realize just how impolite I was for leaving you out on various occasions today. I forgot about you at the ramen shack and I did it again in the bath. It's not nice of me, and for that I'm sorry…"
"No, Eri, you can't fault yourself for anything." I bolted upright. "You were just socializing. I was out of line getting angry at you for mingling with your friends."
"But I still shouldn't have ignored you like before! I didn't even introduce you to them properly. Ah! S-Sorry about that too!"
"No, hang on! It's alright! I'm cool with it… You've – well, I'm really alright!"
"Even if you are, I'm not." She bit down on her fingernail. "Please forgive me for my stupidity."
"Stupidity – what are you saying? I'm the one who's stupid!"
"No, I am!"
We found ourselves thick in the middle of another argument, only this time – on hindsight – it was a whole lot more pointless. Why fight over who should be sorrier? It was kind of adorable in a sense though.
"Sorry!"
"Sorry – "
Klonk.
"Ouch!"
That was the sound of our skulls knocking together as we bowed at the same time. We brought our heads down rather forcefully too, which made the impact all the more painful. The two of us ended up clutching our heads in agony.
"That hurt," I groaned.
"Y-Yeah…"
Eri started giggling a little. What exactly was so funny about bumping heads together, I thought. I failed to understand the humour. Slowly, however, I began to see the lighter side of it all and soon we were laughing at ourselves for being a couple of sillies. This was a great development. She was back to being the happy girl I loved.
When we had calmed down somewhat, she edged closer and placed her hands lightly on top of mine. I gladly let her.
"Neku," she whispered, "I'm so relieved that we're back to being friends."
"Yeah, me too."
"But just for the record…"
"Mmm?"
"…do you still… like me?"
That was a question so simple to answer that it was almost dumb.
"Eri, I always have."
She beamed broadly. "That's good… God, I was so worried you might not like me anymore. We've been together for so long, it'd be a pity to just throw our friendship away in a split second. That's the main reason I cried."
"I'm sorry…" Her hair was so silky under my fingertips as I stroked her head. "I was an idiot, Eri. When I lost my cool earlier, I was thinking that we were special buddies and that we should belong to each other. But I can't be so selfish as to stop you from making your own friends. That was wrong of me, and I wouldn't do that again… I promise."
"Special buddies, huh? You did call me… special. I heard you through the office door when you were talking to the innkeeper."
"Gee, um, you heard me? ! Oh, er…" So she heard everything I said… She basically knew how much I liked her now. Gosh, this was kind of embarrassing. But I didn't really mind. If this could pave the path to better things, then it was okay.
"Well, if we're special buddies, why don't we do something only the two of us can do… something special?"
"Like what?"
For a second or two she just giggled. And then, with a hardly audible voice, she murmured, "…Kissing would be nice."
Did I hear her wrong? Further confirmation was necessary. But she beat me to it before I could even think of saying "Come again?"
"Kissing," she repeated, blushing rapidly. Unsure whether I understood, she added, "You know, when two people press their mouths together and – "
"I… I know what it is!" I spluttered. "B-But… you and me? Um, on… on the lips?"
"We're close enough for that. We like each other, so it's no problem, right? Plus, I thought we could make up at the same time. Kisses are one way to go about it." Was she serious or simply pulling my – no, she was serious. I recognized that look, those eyes, that firmness in her voice. My goodness, she totally wanted to make out with me. Me! Neku Sakuraba! Not that it was a bad thing… but wasn't it sudden and a little too early for this kind of stuff to happen between us? I would have waited till we were at least going out.
The shock left me at a loss for words. Thinking that I was reluctant, she gulped, "No good?"
"N-No! I'm okay with it. I don't mind, except… I don't know how to kiss… It'll be my first one."
"Don't worry." She edged closer and placed her hands on my shoulders, getting herself into position and me into a rightful little tizzy. "I'll make this easy for you. All you need to do is stay still."
"A-Are we doing it now? ! I… I don't know if I'm prepared… What if I get it wrong?"
"No one gets their first kiss done perfectly. But everyone loves it and cherishes the memory all the same. What's important is not how you do it, but rather how much love you pour out for the other person. It's all in direct proportion, see? The more you love someone the richer the experience."
I was like a dry leaf, trembling aplenty. On many occasions she told me that she liked me for who I was, but this was the first time she said the word "love". I probably wasn't wrong to say that her feelings for me had progressed beyond the realm of best friends – or bath buddies as she might cheekily call us. The kind of kiss you get under the mistletoe is just a harmless spot of mischief during the holiday season, but what Eri was going to do was clearly not that. No, it was something a lot more meaningful.
"So… I'm gonna start, 'kay, Neku? That is, if you don't mind."
How could I resist the chance for some romantic mouth-to-mouth action with the girl of my dreams? If she was all for it then so was I. All throughout the twenty years of my life I had been given countless opportunities but threw them all away because of cowardice. There's nothing quite more regretful and disappointing than the words "If only…" No more. Starting today, Neku Sakuraba was a changed person (hopefully). And this kiss would make a good stepping stone.
"A-Alright… I just need to stay still for now, right, Eri?"
"That's right. Now, relax…"
Her eyes were windows to her soul, and through them I could see a longing for us to stay together. But was it as best friends or something more? It wasn't easy to tell. Hugs and harmless pranks came so readily from her. Was this kiss going to be the same thing? Something she did merely for fun?
No… The aura was different. You don't just kiss anyone, even when you're a carefree and rather perverted person like Eri.
The only person you kiss is the one you love, right?
So did it mean that Eri loved me?
No kidding? ! Yowzers! I had to know. This kiss would tell me. It'd tell me whether she loved me and how much.
Ooh, she was getting closer. Every part of my body shook in anticipation. And yet, she was as calm as calm gets. As expected from someone who's literally tasted love much earlier than me. This was going to prove to be a cakewalk to her. I wondered about a lot of things during these precious few seconds before the big moment. How was she going to go about it? Was it going to be simple and chaste or long-drawn and slobbery? And… tongues. Gosh, how was another person's tongue supposed to feel like in my mouth… G-Gross?
Another second dragged by and still she waited. Why must she keep torturing me like this? If we were going to do it then it had to be now while the iron was hot. Or maybe she was really thinking of whether to slip her tongue in or not.
At the last moment, when I thought she'd go for it, she pressed two fingers onto her lips and then touched mine using those same fingers. So it ended up being an indirect kiss.
"Sorry, Neku," she muttered, clearly apologetic. "I… I just can't do it. Not yet. I mean, I've been confused lately, and I'm still sorting out these feelings, and… well, I'm afraid it'll have to wait."
I quickly shook myself out of my stupor and waved it off as nonchalantly as I could. "Hey, um, y-you don't need to rush it, Eri. These kinds of things… We should wait till we're both ready. If you aren't, I'm not going to force you or anything. Take your time, yeah?" Some disappointment was inevitable, but I guess kisses really require more preparation than I thought. Besides, indirect kisses weren't so bad. They were still quite a rush…
"Thanks for being so considerate, Neku. I just… need some more time. I might be a while, though. But sometime in the near future, sometime soon… I'll give you a real one, I promise." The whole of her face was tinged red.
"Oh! Um… er… If you still feel uneasy, I don't mind waiting. And if you change your mind, then… that's fine too." I wanted to put her at ease. It's no good to put the pressure on a girl over something like this.
Eri lightly clutched my robe at the chest and she gazed at me like a kitten. How was she like a kitten? It was the eyes. Oh, those eyes! So warm and clear and they hinted at a fragile side I hardly see much of. I was this close to giving her a big hug and telling her that everything was alright now and also that I would take care of her forever as well as a dozen other things that sounded suspiciously like I wanted to marry her. But I managed to restrain myself in time to avoid a potentially awkward situation.
Anyway, in response to what I said, she replied:
"No, Neku… That was no empty promise. I mean it. That's why, when I finally understand what my heart is feeling… I will kiss you."
I was awestruck by her honesty. That's Eri for you: forthright and straight to the point as always. As for me, I could never bring myself to tell a girl the same thing. I guess a lot of people couldn't! Even for her it must have taken a bucketload of courage to say it. I had to give credit where it's due.
She's in love with me… She had to be… But unless I heard the words from her mouth, I wouldn't know, and I had to. Now wasn't the best time for that, was what I felt, so that would have to be left as a "to be continued" kind of thing.
"It's getting late, Neku, and I'm getting sleepy. What say we call it a night and hit the sack?"
"Ah… sure."
I stared up at the ceiling, thinking about how everything that had happened today was like a giant roller-coaster ride. There were some ups and a whole lot of downs. That we even survived the ordeal was nothing short of a miracle. I had to thank whoever was up there for setting things right between us again. However, what was up with the whole kissing issue? Surely it must mean that she recognized that we were starting to become more than just friends to each other…
"Neku? Can I trouble you a bit?"
"I don't mind. What's up?"
She flicked her blanket aside and my eyes sprang out of my head when she did the same with her yukata.
"Eri!" I gasped. "What the – ? !"
"The yukata's too thick," she huffed. "It was getting too warm underneath. Now, if you'll excuse me."
"It's too warm, huh? ! Then why are you slipping into my futon? !"
I just stayed stock still and completely in shock as she snuggled up and got comfortable. Oh my goodness… She had to lock our legs together! There wasn't even half an inch of space between our bodies! By the way, her response? It was a ridiculous one, "Because now that I'm not wearing any clothes, it might get a little chilly, so I'll need some extra heat, and you're it."
"'It'? Y-You mean, I'm the heat? ! You just want to get some last-minute teasing in before you go to sleep, don't you? !"
"Not at all," she said in blatant and purposeful denial. She grinned like a child and playfully twisted her finger into my cheek. "Really now, Neku… Are you telling me to wear that yukata and get heatstroke? My, how cruel. Let's see how you like it if I strip you naked and leave you out on the balcony in this nice cold autumn weather, hmmm?"
"That's not heatstroke; that's hypothermia!"
There was an almighty snort from her and then she turned into a giggling machine. "Hee hee! I'm glad."
"Glad? About what?"
"That we're back to being the most awesome team!"
That was true. Our daily routine… me being the butt of her pranks, and her laughing her head off. Whenever she made a suggestive comment or took off her clothes, I'd be startled beyond measure. However, there was a light in all those times… a feeling of camaraderie that bound us together like an invisible thread. Over time I had come to take our comedy act for granted, but tonight our quarrel taught me a valuable lesson and I recognized that there was no friendship that was set in stone.
All it would take was a simple mistake for everything to fall to pieces. I sought to be more careful from now on. It was fortunate that we were able to patch up our wounds quickly enough, but any slower and we might really have parted ways for good. The thought frightened me.
"You're right, Eri," I said, smiling. "We're the most awesome team. There was never any doubt about that."
"And the team that sticks together," she seconded, nudging closer, "stays together!"
"Sticking together doesn't really require you to be half-naked, though…"
"Ha ha ha! Nice one!"
We were being so affectionate with each other I couldn't help stroking her cheek with my knuckles. Oh wow, this felt good! She didn't recoil either, so she must like it as much as I did. Anyone who saw us now would likely think we were already going steady – heck, beyond steady. Ah, so this was how heaven was like…
"Eri… I behaved badly today, so I want to make it up to you. Would you like to extend our stay here for another day?"
"Another day? But…"
"Yeah, I know what you're thinking. We're to go back home tomorrow, is what we had in mind at first. If we're staying tomorrow, then we'll leave the day after. But that day isn't a public holiday, so we'll definitely miss some classes. I personally don't mind playing truant for one day – the lecturers at my college don't even care who's absent or not – but if you feel your own classes are too important to skip, then we'll by all means do as we originally planned. What do you think, Eri?"
She paused for thought, sifting a long "hmmm" through her lips to let me know she was still with me. I seriously hoped she would say yes. What Kariya said was right: trips to the onsen don't happen often, so it was wise to savour them to the fullest whenever the chance arose. There's no telling when we could find the time to go on one again. It could be months later, or maybe even next year!
…Eri was still thinking. That's an awfully long time…
"Um, Eri?"
Her words came out slowly. "You know, Neku, I may not look like it, but I'm a pretty hardworking girl. I've never missed a single class, not even once. So what you proposed is actually a bit much for me."
"Oh…" Too bad… "Okay, that's fine. We can always go on another trip – "
"That said, we haven't even begun to enjoy ourselves yet. There are some more places I'd like to visit, some more things I'd like to try with you… This is too good a chance to pass up."
Hope rose within my heart. "Then do you mean…?"
"Ha, but of course!" How does she make a wink look so super cute? "I'll take you up on your offer. What's one day of missed classes, right? It's not going to kill me. I can always catch up. But cutting our onsen trip short would be a pity. So since we're both willing, we should make this one heck of a tryst!"
"Heh… Good to see you pumped up, Eri." Whew! I could finally make amends and enjoy ourselves at the same time. Thank you, universe!
"Let's spoil ourselves tomorrow. After we've come this far to this quaint little neighbourhood, we deserve this much."
"Yes, I agree. But for now, we sleep."
We wished each other good night. Despite my tiring run through the streets, I couldn't doze off yet. Under the blanket we were crammed against each other; being inside a can of sardines would be much roomier. She couldn't seem to get into a position that was to her liking, so she kept tossing and turning and trying different sleeping postures and it was distracting the dickens out of me.
"Eri," I whispered, "you okay? Are you feeling too cold after all?"
She was writhing about so roughly now that it was almost worrying me. That and the grunting noises she was making. Seriously, what was happening? The blanket covered us up below the neck so I couldn't see what the problem was. I shuddered as it reminded me of a sci-fi horror movie I watched with her some few months back. There was a scene of this young couple in bed and the girl was shivering like crazy. When the boy expressed his concern, he got a rude surprise when his girlfriend transformed into a hideous alien monster with many tentacles. And she ate him.
Eri was… human, right? She wasn't going to turn into a monster and have me as a midnight snack, right? …Right?
Gah! Stupid overactive imagination… I had to put reins on it!
"Eri? H-Hey, if there's something wrong, you should tell me."
"There, much better!" she huffed. Much like my horror movie counterpart, I got a surprise too. From underneath the blanket her hand snaked out, clutching a… that's a bra and panties, wasn't it? ! She tossed them over to her futon. "Whew… Turns out I needed to lose the underwear too. It's so darn hot! It may be autumn, but it feels like it's freaking summer in here! The central heating must be something…"
I froze and my voice came out in stammers. "Never mind the central heating and whatever! I can't believe you actually took off your…!"
How does she treat such scandalous situations so normally? ! That wasn't all.
"What do you mean?" she shrugged. "Give a girl a break. Don't expect me to wear anything when the room is going to be this warm. Geez, grow a pair already. Are you telling me that after spending so many years together, you're still going to have fits every time I'm a little bit undressed?"
"B-But I'm a guy with a history of nosebleeds… Help me out here at least, man."
"Sure, I'll help you out…"
Uh-oh… Did I just dig my own grave? She's going to suck my life dry…
"Whatever you're thinking of doing, don't," I squawked. "Just don't. I've had a day and I just want to sleep."
"Mmm, why not. I'll sleep with you… Hee hee."
Digging my own grave wasn't enough, huh? ! I had to carve out my own tombstone for good measure!
"It's been a long time coming," she breathed dreamily, "but I think you and I can finally get down to 'business', if you get my drift. It's a romantic night and I've been hearing whispers that mating season is in the air!"
"What do you think we are, animals in heat? !"
I was five seconds from exploding. Four… Three… Three and a half…
Eri whispered the coup de grace into my ear, her voice slathered with naughtiness.
"Don't worry. If you're that scared, we can use the protection I found in your knapsack."
I scrambled to sit up like a man possessed and could have flung Eri off of myself had she not grabbed hold of me in time. That little scream she made – "eep", she went – would have sounded adorable if it weren't for how pressing the current matter was. I mean, heck, even for a joke, she was going a bit too far!
"For goodness' sake!" I yelped. "Why'd you have to – huh?"
The blanket had crumpled away to reveal that she still had her underwear on. What happened to the part about her being naked? …Answer: she never was.
"Gotcha!" she laughed, slapping me in the arm a dozen times. "I was just kidding. You know the undies I tossed out? That's my spare set. Why, disappointed? I'd like to say sorry, but it's your fault for getting your hopes up like that. You silly thing."
"I… I wasn't getting my – oh, forget it."
"Heh! You're blushing all the way to your ears! Admit it, this is your loss. And since I win, I get first dibs on follow-up teasing. And bragging rights."
"Brag about what exactly? Do whatever you want, though…"
"That I will!"
Frisky as ever, she pounced on me in a great hug and brought the two of us crashing back down on the futon. The breath was knocked out of me.
"Oof… That's rough, Eri."
"You should feel privileged," she gasped, exhausted from laughter. "I told you before, I only do this to you because you're cute."
Who else could she do that to on such an intense basis? Her friends might all have been on the receiving end of her jokes now and again, but it was probably nowhere near as crazy as she could get with me. Then again that's because we're… special. She was right. I should feel privileged.
"I know," I said. "Thanks."
"Hee hee. Anytime."
"Riffling through my stuff was rather uncalled for, though. I mean, god! You just had to come across the condom I stuffed in for safekeeping… What's a guy got to do for a little privacy – "
"Neku?" she said, blinking owlishly. "You… You mean you actually brought one?"
I blinked back at her. "Huh? Didn't you look through my stuff? You said so yourself."
"I never did! I never even touched your things. Couldn't you tell I was pulling your leg?"
We stared at each other. As the realization dawned upon us, things suddenly became very compromising.
"Neku?" she squeaked. "Why… Why do you have a condom on you?"
"I… I don't have any ulterior motives!" I must have looked like a windmill waving my arms so frantically. "Honest! It's Kariya's fault! He… He forced me to take it… And while it's true I took it with me just in case, it's… ah! I had no intention of using it! I swear this isn't the precedent for anything…"
The two of us just gawked at one another and blushed so hard I could almost see steam rising from the top of Eri's head. She happened to be stuck in a particularly embarrassing position too: still clinging onto a guy wearing a lot of air but little else. Suddenly she felt very vulnerable – rare occurrence! – and hurriedly wrapped the blanket around and over herself like a mummy.
Did… Did I put her out?
"I'm sorry!" I said, getting all panicky. "I never wanted to – "
Her muffled voice reached out to me from beneath the covers. "I'm not mad at you. I could never get mad at someone for being cautious. Believe me, you didn't do anything wrong. In fact, you ought to be praised for being responsible. If I weren't all wrapped up like this, I'd even pat you on the head."
"Oh… I guess I – "
"This absolutely does not give you any right to attack me in the middle of the night, though. Don't even try."
"Huh? Me ambushing you in your sleep? I'm more concerned about you doing that to me! Look, I wouldn't do anything funny… Eri? Eri? …Uh, at least give me my blanket back…"
I wouldn't be getting any more responses from her anytime soon… One could only hope she wouldn't be too evasive for too long; that would put a huge spanner in my plans. Oh well, sleep has a way of solving problems, so maybe when we got up in the morning we'd be freshened up and A-OK. With my blanket completely hogged by her esteemed self, I had to make do with borrowing hers. Was she planning to be a pillbug for the rest of the night?
My eyelids were getting heavier and there was nothing I wanted more than a good rest. I was looking forward to sleeping well.
"…'Night, Eri."
To my surprise, she actually spoke back. Not only that, she emerged from her cocoon to cuddle up with me.
"Good night, Neku. By the way, you really are warm. You're… comfortable."
I smiled and pulled her closer, surprising even myself. "Just for the record, I'm a person, not a bolster. That said, I'm quite happy to hear you say that."
"Hee hee. You're funny."
Underneath that single blanket, we slept in each other's arms. And tonight's shenanigans came to an end.
It didn't mean that tonight was finished though. There was one last thing I had yet to see.
In the dead of morning when the moon was still out, I woke up to a soft murmuring sound. I traced it to Eri. So she could snore, was the obvious conclusion. Maybe that's something I could use to poke fun at her over breakfast.
…No, that wasn't snoring. She was talking in her sleep. And what's more, it was about a certain person I knew very well.
"Neku," she mumbled, "don't… don't leave me…"
It was also then that I noticed two things. The first was how tightly she was clutching onto my arm, like her life depended on it. Secondly, I spied tear-tracks on her cheeks. From the looks of it – her slate-coloured pillow was stained quite black from the dampness – she had been crying in her sleep for some time.
Poor Eri… The trauma she suffered from that quarrel must have stung so badly for it to stay in her subconscious long after the matter had been resolved. My soul was riddled with guilt once more. Was she dreaming about me walking out of her life forever?
Don't worry, I told her in my head. I wouldn't go anywhere. Whichever direction your life takes you, you can count on me being there to give you a hand. So please… even though it may be hard now, cheer up for me. Not bad for an oath, if I did say so myself.
No sooner had I finished thinking the last word did she stir momentarily. I thought I might have woken her up somehow but she was still blissfully asleep. The way she fumbled around with limbs flinging everywhere was funny, in a sense. I almost wanted to chuckle out loud. Unfortunately, she thrashed about too much, and she struck me hard in a particularly bad spot.
She just kneed me in the groin! Accidentally, of course, but who the heck cared how when it hurt like crazy! Sledgehammers to the skull would hurt less! Too bad I couldn't simply yell out in pain, though. It wouldn't be very gentlemanly to wake a maiden during her beauty sleep. So I kept the pain all bottled up within. Every hundred pounds of it.
I couldn't wait for the morning to arrive so we could enjoy our little vacation proper. Till then, though, this was going to be a long night…
Ow ow ow ow ow!